Geronimo Power expands Ohio portfolio with 2 additional solar projects
Geronimo Power has announced the start of operation at its Ross County (Ross) and Fayette (Fayette) Solar projects located in Ross, Fayette and Highland counties in Ohio.
Combined, the projects are anticipated to contribute $73 million in direct economic impact over the first 20 years of operations.
“The addition of Ross and Fayette to our Ohio operating portfolio brings our collective projected economic impact to more than $160 million across the Buckeye state,” said Blake Nixon, President and CEO of National Grid Renewables. “We’re proud of the footprint we’ve built here, and we want to extend a huge thank you to the state of Ohio for opening its doors to our business and investments.”
Joining the previously announced Yellowbud Solar project, the 120-megawatt (MW) Ross and 47.5 MW Fayette will contribute $29.5 million in new tax revenue, which will be distributed to local counties, emergency services, school districts and additional funding for the Ohio PILOT Program. Additionally, the company recently announced the start of construction at its Dodson Creek and Sycamore Creek Solar projects. Combined, all five projects will culminate in more than 675 MW of clean energy produced in the state once all five projects are operational.
“I have lived in the area for more than 45 years and have found the nearby solar facilities to provide a welcome change to my community,” said Duane Ross, a Fayette project landowner. “The Ross and Fayette solar projects will provide essential revenue streams for residents in this area, and I hope to see more solar projects producing clean energy in the future.”
To commemorate the projects and the benefits they provide, National Grid Renewables hosted a “Solar Harvest Festival” last October with landowners, community members and project partners. The fall-themed event was sourced primarily from local businesses and featured a short tour of the Ross project, during which attendees had the opportunity to view and learn more about the inner workings of a solar farm.
Prior to the event, National Grid Renewables announced its pledge to donate $670,000 in charitable funding through the Ross and Fayette projects over the first 20 years of operations. Representatives from The Chillicothe-Ross Community Foundation and The Greenfield Foundation, who will manage the charitable funds, were present at the event and provided commemorative checks to signify the upcoming charitable donations.
In addition to the economic benefits provided by Ross and Fayette, the projects provide many environmental benefits to local communities. Using the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator, the projects combined are anticipated to offset carbon dioxide emissions by 4.5 million metric tons over the first 20 years.
Geronimo Power (formerly National Grid Renewables) develops, owns and operates large-scale power assets throughout America’s Heartland, including solar, wind and energy storage. As a farmer-founded and community-focused business, Geronimo Power equips landowners and rural communities with sustainable revenue to ignite local economic growth. To learn more about Geronimo Power, visit www.geronimopower.com or follow the company on LinkedIn.
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